Liver-treating device



J. BEARD LIVER TREATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26. 1920 INVENTOH JAMES BEARD Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

JAMES BEARD, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

LIVER-TREATING DEVICE.

Application filed January 26, 1920. Serial No. 354,060.

' Toall whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JAMES BEARD, a sub ject of the King of'Great Britain, residing at Pasadena, in the county ofLos Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Liver-Treating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to surgical appa- 10 ratus, and has for its object to provide an instrument for the invigoration of the liver, and a further object isto provide a device of this kind that is simple, of inexpensive character and that may be efliciently op- I erated by the user or another person and placed about the waist of the body so as to e operative in the zone of the liver'to massage or exercise that organ. The invention consists of the construction, the combination and in details and arrangements of the parts an embodiment of which invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described and claimedherein.

The figure is a perspective of the device shown applied to a figure represented in dotted lines.

The instrument consists of a substantial back strap or section 2 and front portions 3-3, preferably the back strap and front to portions being of relatively considerable width so as to cover a large area of the waist, and the back portion and the front portions are connected flexibly, in this case, as by stout straps 4-@ the front ends of which are connected by buckles 5 to the rear edges of the front portions or pads 33.

For the purpose of contracting the belt like structure about the body, suitable means 40 is provided comprising, in this case, a pair of handle members 6 and 7 in the form of stout frames of wire, the frames being intermediately pivoted on each other as at 8. The outer ends of the frames have grip portions preferably in the form of rollers 9 and the inner ends of the handles are pivotally connected to the front members 33*.- n this case said pivotal connection may be secured in an inexpensive and substantial manner by stitching strap-like on one or the other of the'sides may be unbuckled and the belt-like instrument secured around the waist with the pad part 2 at the rear and the front portions 33 lying across the front of the waist after which the straps can be buckled up. The device thus applied can be alternately contracted and released by the movement of no the handle levers 6 and 7, as shown by the arrows a-a. 7

From the above it will be seen that the liver will be subjected therefore to a massaging or exercising movement with a beneficial invigoration and that this may be accomplished by the user of the belt without the assistance of any other person or persons, and moreover the device can be used either while the person is lying, sitting or standing, and the degree of contraction can be readily controlled and determined at the will of the operator by manipulation of the handles 67.

Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising an adjustable belt adapted to encircle the body and having separated ends, and means secured to said separated ends for alternately expanding and contracting the diametral dimension of said belt, said means consisting of levers crossed and s5 pivotally mounted on each other.

2. A device of the character described comprising a belt adapted to encircle the body and having separated ends, means for adjusting the length of said belt intermediate said ends, manually operable means secured to said separated ends for alternately expanding and contracting the diametral dimension of said belt, said means consisting of a pair of substantially rectangular members pivoted intermediate their ends, said members being pivotally secured at one of their extremities to the separated ends of said belt and being provided with grips at their free ends.

3. A device of the character described comprising a beltlike structure, composed of a relatively Wide back section, a pair of front sections flexible connections between the ends of the back section and the adjacent ends of the front sections, and pivotally connected levers connected to the front ends of the front sections whereby the belt 10 like structure may be contracted or permitted to expand. V V

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES BEARD. 

